Doin' Some Cookin'... Strawberry Banana Smoothie

This smoothie is made with a classic combo of strawberries and banana making for the perfect afternoon snack. But could obviously be made anytime of the day.

Smoothies are a great way to suck up vitamins and nutrients into your diet.

Knowing that tomorrow is Thanksgiving and having intentions of stuffing myself on all the yummy eats I knew my eating has to be on point. I've been good since Monday following the Whole30 diet and actually making it a point to workout too. Patting myself on the back.

After I sucked this down I ended up throwing on my workout clothes and heading to the gym. This smoothie provided the perfect energy boost to get me through my workout.

Strawberry Banana Smoothie

Adapted From: Ultimate Paleo Guide

Makes 1 Serving

Stars of the Show:

• 3/4 cup strawberries
• 1 banana
• 1/2 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
• ice, to taste

And Action:

Pulse all ingredients in a blender until smooth. Enjoy!

Doin' Some Cookin'... Bacon Turkey Cheeseburger Meatloaf

Little Man can eat a cheeseburger for every meal if I'd let him. If I wasn't concerned about his health or having CPS called on me I may consider.

But, I'm not that mom.

(All I can think of when I see this photo is how perfect this meatloaf would be for a Halloween dinner party cause it looks like flesh and blood.)

It's no surprise he asked for a cheeseburger night for part of this weeks' menu. While browsing some of my favorite blogs I came across this recipe for a healthy Bacon Turkey Cheeseburger Meatloaf and knew I had to give this one a try.

This meatloaf did not disappoint. It has all of the flavors of a cheeseburger and even though it's made with ground turkey it is incredibly moist.

Little Man being a cheeseburger fanatic ate every bite of this and agreed it was make again worthy. It's an especially hearty meal when paired with mashed potatoes and roasted broccoli. We ate off of the leftovers for three days. So good!

Bacon Turkey Cheeseburger Meatloaf

Adapted From: Organize Yourself Skinny

Makes 6 Servings

Stars of the Show:

• 1/2 slice whole wheat bread
• 1 tbsp milk
• 1 lb ground turkey
• 1 tsp hamburger seasoning
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 egg, slightly beaten
• 1/8 cup whole wheat breadcrumbs
• 1/4 cup ketchup
• 2 tbsp mustard
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 6 slices bacon

And Action:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

In a small bowl mix together the ketchup and mustard. 

In a large bowl mix together the bread and milk mixing it together to create a paste. Add the ground turkey, seasonings, Parmesan cheese, egg, breadcrumbs, 1/2 of the ketchup mixture, and cheddar cheese. 

Mix until evenly distributed.

Spray a baking dish with cooking spray. Place the meat mixture in the middle and form a loaf. 

Spread the rest of the ketchup mixture on top and then lay the bacon over the loaf tucking it under the loaf if needed.

Place the meatloaf in the oven and bake for 55 minutes. 

Turn the oven on broil and broil 3-5 minutes or until the bacon is crispy. 

Remove from the oven and let sit 5 minutes before slicing. Enjoy!

Doin' Some Cookin'... Slow Cooker Italian Shredded Beef

Work nights are busy enough, but a work night coupled with Little Man's swim class and an additional chore added to the night such as laundry makes for a very exhausting day. The last thing I usually want to do is cook dinner which is a shame because I absolutely love cooking.

Slow cooker dinners are what this working mama needs.

(It was a stormy day and the lighting at dinner time was not the best. Photo does not do this justice.)

This recipe for Italian Shredded Beef is so simple because you just dump the ingredients, set the timer, and let it do it's thang while you do yours.

The meat comes out perfectly seasoned and so tender. I mean, melt-in-your-mouth tender.

If I wasn't attempting another round of Whole30 this shredded beef would have been served on a crusty roll as sandwiches with some provolone cheese.

Slow Cooker Italian Shredded Beef

Adapted From: Organize Yourself Skinny

Makes 8 Servings

Stars of the Show:

• 2 1/2 lb chuck roast
• 1 packet Simply Organic Italian Dressing Mix
• 1/4 of a jar of sliced banana peppers with 1/8 cup of the juice
• 1/2 cup beef broth

And Action:

Place the chuck roast in the slow cooker. 

Sprinkle the Italian dressing over the meat. 

Pour the banana pepper juice and beef broth over the meat. Flip the roast a couple of times and then pour in the banana peppers. 

Cook on high for 5 hours or low for 8 hours. 

Using two forks shred the beef. Enjoy!

Doin' Some Cookin'... Pizza Casserole

My company was hosting their annual potluck of "homemade" dishes only this year.

Ugh! I don't mind picking something up from the store but cooking for the entire office. Hmm...

I get cooking anxiety when cooking for people for the first time. Hell, I have a hard enough time cooking for my biggest critic, Little Man. So I end up doing a run through of the recipe ahead of time to make sure it turns out okay.

The potluck was today and I made this recipe on Tuesday, however, while it was absolutely delicious it was incredibly heavy and didn't settle well on my stomach. I couldn't risk serving this gut bomb to my coworkers so I ended up opting out of the potluck.

Little Man loved everything about this dish and polished off his bowl of pasta for the two nights of leftovers. That is a win for me! He exclaimed, "It tastes like Papa Johns but with pasta!"

This was an incredibly easy dish to make on a busy work night and came together fairly quickly. You can customize the toppings to include your family's favorite pizza flavors. I'm thinking next time ham, pineapple, and red onions for a Hawaiian version. Yum.

Pizza Casserole

Adapted From: Taste of Home

Makes 12-14 Servings

Stars of the Show:

• 1 package (16 oz) of rigatoni
• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 package of hot Italian sausage
• 1 package (8 oz) pepperoni, sliced
• shredded mozzarella cheese or pizza blend, to taste
• 2 cans (15 oz) pizza sauce
• 1 can (10 3/4 oz) condensed cream of mushroom soup

And Action:

Cook pasta according to package directions, drain and set aside. While the pasta cooks, brown the beef and Italian sausage. Drain the fat. 

Add the pasta to the meat mixture, add cheese, pizza sauce, mushroom soup, and pepperoni. Stir to combine. Heat over medium until sauce is heated through and cheese is melted. Enjoy!

Doin' Some Cookin'... Roasted Mushroom and Ground Beef Stroganoff

Beef stroganoff is a Russian dish made with sliced beef and a creamy sour cream sauce. Beef stroganoff is one of my favorite comfort foods. I absolutely love a giant bowl of this beefy pasta. The best part about this recipe is that there is only one pot and a baking sheet to clean up and the dinner dishes. Great dish to make on a busy work night. 

My mama would make what I considered to be a "gourmet" version when I was growing up using a more expensive cut of beef, a velvety sauce, and the mushrooms and onions were sautéed in olive oil and garlic. Perfection. 

She comes out to Texas for a weekend visit every one to two years and the last couple of visits it has been beef stroganoff I've requested. This last visit was no difference except this time I was the one making us dinner after seeing that my mama has aged in the last two years and isn't quite as healthy for slaving over the stove either. Because I was cooking and it was football Sunday I decided on something that wasn't too labor intensive. 

I've also been go, go, go every weekend. California, the cruise, and my mom's visit snuck up on me. I thought I had too more weeks. I'm really looking forward to a "relaxing" weekend. As a mom, y'all know what a relaxing weekend really means... I might be able to sneak in a short nap and one shower. Haha!!

Definitely not on my mama's level but a good substitute. By the way, this was my first time making beef stroganoff outside of a box of Hamburger Helper and I made enough to feed us for three days.

Next time I will add some onions to my mushroom roast and use classic egg noodles. 

A little fact about me... I only like mushrooms when they are piping hot and I'm very particular about the way they are cooked and the kind of mushroom. I do not enjoy them reheated. 

As I mentioned, I've been so darn busy since August that home cooking has taken a back seat. I forgot how much I love being in the kitchen. It's my happy place. 

Roasted Mushroom and Ground Beef Stroganoff

Makes 8 Servings

Stars of the Show:

• olive oil
• package of sliced seasoned mushrooms
• salt and pepper, to taste
• onion powder, to taste
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 lb lean ground beef
• 6 cups low sodium beef broth
• 16 oz whole wheat rotini
• 2 cups sour cream

And Action:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Heat some olive oil over medium heat in a large pot. Add the ground beef, onion powder, garlic, salt and pepper. Cook until browned breaking up the beef as it cooks. 

Pour in the beef broth and the pasta. Bring to a light boil and then cover with a lid. Continue to cook and stir often for 17-20 minutes. 

While the pasta is cooking add the mushrooms to a baking sheet and toss with olive oil. Roast for 15 minutes until browned and set aside until pasta is done cooking. 

Remove the pot from the heat. If it looks like there is too much liquid drain some of it so the sauce it's too liquidy. Stir in the mushrooms and sour cream. Taste and add more salt and pepper if needed. Enjoy!